Abstract: In correspondence with each face of a rectangular parallelepiped obtained when the inside of the rectangular parallelepiped is shot, a monitor screen is split into a plurality of sub-screen areas. An image shot by a vehicle-mounted camera is processed and the processed image is split correspondingly to the sub-screen areas. Each split image is displayed in the corresponding sub-screen areas. This allows intuitive understanding of the direction of an image displayed in a sub-screen thereby providing the driver with an image free from a sense of incongruity.

Abstract: The image processor of the present invention generates a more natural synthesized image from camera images taken with a plurality of cameras capturing the surroundings of a vehicle. A parameter storage section stores a plurality of image synthesis parameter groups representing the correspondence between the camera images and the synthesized image and having different spatial or temporal resolution relations. A parameter selection section selects the image synthesis parameter group according to the output of a vehicle motion detection section for detecting the motion of the vehicle such as the driving speed and direction. An image synthesis section generates the synthesized image from the camera images according to the selected image synthesis parameter group.

Abstract: A robot arm is provided with an end effecter for grasping an object and a force sensor for detecting a force acted upon the end effecter. In the state in which end effecter grasps an object, when there is a change in the force acting on the end effecter detected by the force sensor, outputted is a signal for releasing the force of the end effecter grasping the object. The object grasped by the end effecter can be taken out as if the object were handed from person over to person.

Abstract: The image processor of the present invention generates a more natural synthesized image from camera images taken with a plurality of cameras capturing the surroundings of a vehicle. A parameter storage section stores a plurality of image synthesis parameter groups representing the correspondence between the camera images and the synthesized image and having different spatial or temporal resolution relations. A parameter selection section selects the image synthesis parameter group according to the output of a vehicle motion detection section for detecting the motion of the vehicle such as the driving speed and direction. An image synthesis section generates the synthesized image from the camera images according to the selected image synthesis parameter group.

Abstract: A synthesized image showing the situation around a vehicle is produced from images taken with cameras capturing the surroundings of the vehicle and presented to a display. A position computation section computes position information and the reliability of the position information, for a plurality of points in the camera images. An image variable-synthesis section produces a first synthesized image from the camera images using the position information. An image fixed-synthesis section produces a second synthesized image by road surface projection, for example, without use of the ,..position information. A synthesis scheme selection section selects either one of the first and second synthesized images according to the reliability as the synthesized image to be presented.

Abstract: In a monitoring device for vehicles, an optical flow detection section determines an optical flow from an image taken with a camera. A background flow estimation section determines a background flow, which is a flow for the camera image under the assumption that the image is a background, based on the motion of the vehicle. An approaching object detection section detects motion of an object in the surroundings of the vehicle by comparing the optical flow with the background flow.

Abstract: The invention provides a vehicle surroundings monitoring system for synthesizing and displaying images captured by a plurality of cameras to provide images that, near the border between partial images, are more accurate and more readily understood by the user than has been the case conventionally. In the synthesized image, a partial image captured by a first camera and a partial image captured by a second camera are adjacent to one another at their border. Near this border, the capturing directions of the first and the second cameras both substantially match the direction of the border. Consequently, images of objects near the border extend along the border, and thus do not disappear on the synthesized image.

Abstract: In the vehicle surroundings display device of the invention, an image processor generates an image showing the situation around a vehicle. When an obstacle is detected by an obstacle detection means, the image processor determines an image missing region using the position of the border of the obstacle on the vehicle side detected by an obstacle position detection means and fills the image missing region with substitute image data. This eliminates unnaturalness of a display image the user may feel and enables the user to accurately recognize the position of a neighboring obstacle that is important in driving operation.

Abstract: Simple calibration of a camera mounted on a mobile object is implemented. With a joint means, a target apparatus for calibration is physically fixed to the mobile object having a camera mounted thereon. The positional relation between the vehicle and the target apparatus is finely adjusted while visually confirming a target point on the vehicle through a scope means.

Abstract: In correspondence with each face of a rectangular parallelepiped obtained when the inside of the rectangular parallelepiped is shot, a monitor screen is split into a plurality of sub-screen areas. An image shot by a vehicle-mounted camera is processed and the processed image is split correspondingly to the sub-screen areas. Each split image is displayed in the corresponding sub-screen areas. This allows intuitive understanding of the direction of an image displayed in a sub-screen thereby providing the driver with an image free from a sense of incongruity.

Abstract: Two three-dimensional bodies using the computer graphics are shown on the screen in an overlapping manner. The two bodies may be located one in front of the other or one inserted into the other. The latter is called collision. The collision is detected by comparing a line segment extending in a depth direction of the first body, and a line segment extending in a depth direction of the second body. Both line segments are in alignment with a pixel of a projected image where the two bodies are overlapping.

Abstract: For supporting a complicated driving operation, a synthesized image by using which a driver can drive with a sense of security is presented to the driver. Camera images of cameras installed on a vehicle are used so that an image with a lateral visual field of 180 degrees in the rear of the vehicle can be displayed in the form of a mirror image. Also, (a) tire loci (41) of the vehicle obtained by assuming a reverse operation are overlapped with the image to be displayed. Furthermore, (b) a far area (43) is enlarged to be displayed in a sub-window (44), or (c) auxiliary lines (45, 46 and 47) indicating distances from the vehicle are overlapped with the image to be displayed.

Abstract: A camera for taking a state behind a vehicle is installed in a position laterally shifted from the rear center of the vehicle. An image processing unit generates a rear image from a camera image by shifting merely a rectangular area of the camera image so that a vertical center line thereof can substantially accord with the center line along the lengthwise direction of the vehicle. Furthermore, processing for correcting lens distortion may be performed. As a result, when the vehicle is moved straight backward, an object present on the center line of the vehicle moves vertically in substantially the center of the screen, so that a user can be prevented from having an odd feeling to see the image.

Abstract: The camera device for use in measurement and synthesis of an image is capable of being used for accurate measurement and synthesis even without suppressing variation in device characteristics. A camera parameter storage means stores a camera parameter indicating characteristics unique to the camera device. A state sensing means senses a state of the camera device such as a temperature. A parameter output means externally outputs a camera parameter according to state information.

Abstract: The stereoscopic CG image generating apparatus and a stereoscopic TV apparatus, has a projection transformation section which, based on three-dimensional structural information describing a three-dimensional shape of an object, generates a plurality of two-dimensional projection models as viewed from a plurality of viewpoints, a distance information extraction section which generates a camera-to-object distance information used for calculations in the projection transformation section, and a camera parameter determining section which, based on the output of the distance information extraction section, the screen size of a stereoscopic image display device for displaying finally generated two-dimensional projection models, and a viewer's viewing distance, determines camera parameters so that stereoscopic CG images will be brought within the viewer's binocular fusional range.

Abstract: The image processor of the present invention generates a more natural synthesized image from camera images taken with a plurality of cameras capturing the surroundings of a vehicle. A parameter storage section stores a plurality of image synthesis parameter groups representing the correspondence between the camera images and the synthesized image and having different spatial or temporal resolution relations. A parameter selection section selects the image synthesis parameter group according to the output of a vehicle motion detection section for detecting the motion of the vehicle such as the driving speed and direction. An image synthesis section generates the synthesized image from the camera images according to the selected image synthesis parameter group.

Abstract: In an image processor for synthesizing images that have been taken by multiple cameras mounted on a vehicle, even if any movable part of the vehicle has changed its state, the synthesized image will have no unnatural part. A pixel synthesizer receives the images that have been captured by the cameras included in an imaging section and generates the synthesized image by reference to a mapping table. Receiving a signal indicative of the state of a movable part such as the door or hood of the vehicle, a display mode changer disables at least one of the cameras that is taking an image to be affected by any change in the state of the movable part. For that purpose, the changer rewrites mapping data stored on the mapping table and thereby eliminates the image in question from the synthesized image.

Abstract: In transmitting image data from multiple cameras to an image processing section to produce a synthesized image from respective camera images, the amount of data transmitted through a transmission path can be cut down without sacrificing the quality of the synthesized image. In accordance with a correspondence between the synthesized and camera images as described on a mapping table, a resolution specifier specifies resolutions, which should be necessary for image synthesis, for respective areas of each camera image. A compressor, provided for each of the cameras, compresses the associated camera image data according to the resolutions specified. In this manner, the image data, which has been compressed in accordance with the correspondence between the synthesized and camera images, is transmitted through the transmission path.

Abstract: The stereoscopic CG image generating apparatus and a stereoscopic. TV apparatus, has a projection transformation section which, based on three-dimensional structural information describing a three-dimensional shape of an object, generates a plurality of two-dimensional projection models as viewed from a plurality of viewpoints, a distance information extraction section which generates a camera-to-object distance information used for calculations in the projection transformation section, and a camera parameter determining section which, based on the output of the distance information extraction section, the screen size of a stereoscopic image display device for displaying finally generated two-dimensional projection models, and a viewer's viewing distance, determines camera parameters so that stereoscopic CG images will be brought within the viewer's binocular fusional range.

Abstract: The stereoscopic CG image generating apparatus and a stereoscopic TV apparatus, has a projection transformation section which, based on three-dimensional structural information describing a three-dimensional shape of an object, generates a plurality of two-dimensional projection models as viewed from a plurality of viewpoints, a distance information extraction section which generates a camera-to-object distance information used for calculations in the projection transformation section, and a camera parameter determining section which, based on the output of the distance information extraction section, the screen size of a stereoscopic image display device for displaying finally generated two-dimensional projection models, and a viewer's viewing distance, determines camera parameters so that stereoscopic CG images will be brought within the viewer's binocular fusional range.